Frances Elisabeth Olsen

LAW 317 - Family Law

This course focuses on the conjugal relationship, that is, marriage, registered domestic partnership, and informal cohabitation. We will examine the legal principles and social policies governing the creation, maintenance, and dissolution of conjugal relationships. We will spend a good deal of time on the economic and custodial incidents of dissolution (divorce), including spousal support, child support, and child custody. We will pay particular attention to California law and to the American Law Institute's Principles of the Law of Family Dissolution(2002). Family Law is a companion course to Community Property, Children and the Law, and Wills and Trusts. Family Law does not repeat the subject matter of those courses, but is conceptually related to them. There are no prerequisites.